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Author: Stephen Weller
679 words, 4 minutes read time

Still No Evidence Worthy of Death

Scripture: Matthew 27:13; Mark 15:2, 4-5; Jn 18:33-36

In the previous lesson, the Jews are desperately trying to convince Pilate that Jesus is worthy of death, but they are not doing very well as they have no real evidence. In this lesson Pilate tries to get incriminating evidence from Jesus but has little success.

^{Mt 27:13} Then Pilate said to him, “Do you not hear how many things they testify against you? ^{Mk 15:4} Have you no answer to make?” ⁵ But Jesus made no further answer, so that Pilate was amazed. ^{Jn 18:33} So Pilate entered his headquarters again and called Jesus and said to him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” ^{Mk 15:2} [Jesus replied,] “You have said so.” ^{Jn 18:34} Jesus answered, “Do you say this of your own accord, or did others say it to you about me?” ³⁵ Pilate answered, “Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered you over to me. What have you done?” ³⁶ Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.”

The focus now turns to a conversation between Pilate and Jesus. Pilate points out to Jesus how many things have been said against him, and asks Jesus if he has anything to say about the charges against him? As Pilate waits for a response, Jesus says nothing in his defense, causing Pilate to be amazed and wondering what is going on.

As you read the above harmonized narrative, it is noticed that Pilate entered his headquarters again to speak to Jesus, but he was already there according to the previous verse. You encounter that kind of problem when trying to bring two or more author accounts together. It is understood that Pilate continues the conversation with Jesus by asking the question “Are you the King of the Jews?” in an attempt to break the silence and obtain something to charge Jesus with.

When the Jews presented Jesus to Pilate, they did not say he was guilty of blasphemy because that was a religious crime that was of no concern to Pilate, but a charge of being “King of the Jews” would challenge Caesar’s rule and in the eyes of Rome that would be a crime worthy of death.

The fact that Pilate asks the question about being a king causes Jesus to ask Pilate if he thinks he is, or has he heard that from someone else. Pilate responds that he is not a Jew and would not know whether Jesus is a king or not. Again, Pilate asks Jesus what he has done to cause the Jews to bring him to Pilate for execution.

This prompts Jesus to respond with the truth about his kingdom that is going to mess with Pilate’s mind. Jesus points out that he does have a kingdom, but you can’t see it because it is not of this world. I am sure that this made little to no sense to Pilate. Jesus supports this by pointing out that had his kingdom been of this world then his servants would be fighting against those trying to deliver him up to death, and since there is no conflict there is no incriminating evidence.

Pilate needs some time to think about what Jesus just said, so we will end this lesson and allow him time to think and then in the next lesson we will see what he says in response to his thoughts.

Conclusion

Up to this point Pilate has no evidence strong enough for him to crucify Jesus and in the next lesson he will make a statement to the Jews that he finds nothing in which to charge Jesus with. Somehow the Jews must get Jesus nailed to the cross, but it doesn’t look very promising at this point.